Sick room



(No Model.) J. G. THROWER.

SICK ROOM APPLIANCE.

Patented May 6, 1890.

JAMES E -T HRDWER- I @513 M @Wozmug 0., WASHINGTON, n. c.

N-ITED STATES JAMES G. THROWER', OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

SICK-ROOM APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part, of Letters Patent No. 427,281, dated. May 6,1890. Application filed February 6, 1889. Serial No. 298,913. (Nomodel.)

To all 2072,0112, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES G. THROWER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia,have invented a new and useful Appliance for Use by Invalids; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear,'and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawin gs, and to letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates-to appliances for use in sick-rooms for handlinginvalids in such cases as it is necessary to exert the utmost care toprevent any muscular action on the part of the invalid or any sudden orinjurious jar to the invalid in moving from one position to another.

It consists of means whereby the person may be taken up, together withthe surround ing bedelothes, if desired, and the position changed andthe person carried to any desired place, the details of constructionnecessary to carry out which object are hereinafter fully described, andthe parts thought to be new pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of thedevice, showing the operative parts, the litter therein shown beingarranged for the purpose of lifting the person straight up from ahorizontal position, but one of the straps for encircling the personbeing shown, the others being like it in every respect. Fig. 2 is a viewof a portion of the main bar of the litter, showing the preferableconstruction thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of saidbar, further showing the construction.

In the figures, like reference-marks indicating corresponding parts inthe several views, A is the frame on which the device is supported,consisting of the uprights A A, connected at their tops and bottoms bythe longitudinal cross-pieces L and M and the transverse cross-pieces Land M. On the projecting ends of the transverse cross-pieces M are thecasters a, of sufficient size to make the device pass over the floorsmoothly.

B are hangers, which carry several ropes, two of which are marked 0 andO in the draw ings, and all of which extend to the Windlass E and thelitter D. The hangers B are pivoted to the frame, in order that they maybe turned back, if desired, out of the way, and when the litter isplaced in between the posts of the frame, which is capable of beingdone, the hangers can be turned backward, so that the ropes 0 will be inposition to raise the litter when so placed.

It will be obvious by reference to Fig. 1 in the drawings that theWindlass E has several different diameters and that several of thelargest areof the same diameter and that there are four ropes, eachattached to one end of one of the largest cylinders of the windlasscontiguous to one of the I cylinders of small diameter, comparatively.Any one of the ropes so attached may be Wound on the larger or thesmaller of the parts of the windlass nearest to it at pleasure, thusbeing capable of adjustment as regards the speed of the winding of theropes thereon, the purpose of and the necessity for such adjustmentbeing hereinafter set forth.

The litter D is preferably constructed as shown in Fig. 1-that is, of amain bar 61 and the bails d, which bails have on their eX- tremitieshooks for the attachment of straps d'f for encircling the person to belifted. To each end of the main bar 01 is attached, preferably by hooks,one of the ropes O, C, O", or C, which by being wound on the Windlasswill raise or lower the two ends of the litter at such relative speed aswill change the positionof the person lifted from a horizontal to aninclined position without bending the body. The main bar at has numerouscorrugations upon its upper surface, so as to keep the bails fromsliding, and it is also bent for a like purpose for the ropes attachedat these points. For example, suppose it is desired to raise the upperpart of a patient without changing his position from astraight line. Heis strapped to the litter, and the rope connecting with the litternearer his head is passed over one of the larger rollers, and the ropeatthe other end is passed over a smaller roller. causing the upper partof the patient to rise much faster than the lower. This change inposition is accomplished by having one of the two ropes attached to thelitter to wind on a The roller turned,

small drum and the other on one of the large drums of the Windlass. Bythis means one of the ropes is Wound up on the drum faster than theother, thereby causing one end of the litter to rise faster than theother. If both ropes are Wound on equal-sized drums, the litter Willremain in its original position in regard to the horizontal. \Vhen it isdesired to raise a person from a bed and place him on a chair or otherplace, the litter is dispensed with, and one or more of the ropes areattached to suitable bands to sustain and raise the person so lifted tothe desired height and move him to any desired place by moving thedevice around on the casters a. These ropes will also lend assistance toa person in walking, and thus allow the best kind of exercise for a sickperson Without danger of muscular strain to any undue extent.

To the Winding-drum E is attached a gear- Wheel E, Which engages with-apinion e on the shaft 6. To this shaft is secured the ratchetwheel a,which engages with the pawl a. The shaft 6' is also provided With acrank-handle b. In place of the pinion e and handle 19, a Worm andtiller Wheel may be substituted without materially altering the device.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In an apparatus for handling invalids, the combination of thetransportable frame, the roller supported thereon having differentdiameters, the mechanism for operating the same, the hangers B, pivotedto said frame and having their upper ends connected by a rod carryingpulleys, and the ropes 0, passing over said pulleys to the roller,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an apparatus for handling invalids, the combination of thetransportable frame, the roller supported thereon having differentdiameters, the mechanism for operating the same, the hangers B, pivotedto said frame and having their upper ends connected by a rod carryingpulleys, the ropes passing over said pulleys from the litter to saidroller, and a litter consisting of the rod d, bails d, and the band d",all arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihereunto affix my signature in presence of tWowitnesses.

JAMES G. THROWER.

Witnesses:

A. P. WVooD, G. BURROUGHS.

